Dwarven Axe of Kings
Moradin's Mercy, or Axe of Dveron, more commonly known as the Dwarven Axe of Kings, is a powerful artifact created with divine metal given directly from Moradin, created by the first Dwarf Great King Dveron within the First Forge. It is the symbol of leadership to the Dverfon, being wielded by every True King. History When the unstoppable goblin-blood armies marched upon the last stand of the favored creations of Moradin during the first age, the god broke the great Divine Contract and directly aided his favored son Dveron in fashioning a weapon without equal. Inviting his child into his personal realm of the First Forge, he provided Dveron with divine metal directly from his own armor and tools of his personal make. From the union of celestial and mortal hands came a weapon that could quake the very earth, vanquishing any in its path. Returning to his people, Dveron swayed into battle armed only with his axe, armorless and alone. According to legend, he struck the ground with such force that the ground opened up below the warleaders of the goblin-blood army and swallowed up their invincible army of mountain trolls. He then challenged the First Warlord Smorlmek to individual combat. With a single throw of his axe, he sundered the First Warlord's dragonbone armor and separated his heart from his body. Without their leader, the unified goblin-blood armies descended into insurgency and were defeated soundly. Dveron took the rest of his people north, forming a great kingdom and a nation that proudly bore his name. The Dwarven Axe of Kings passed down through the line of True Kings for generations until it was stolen from the Last True King Ythres by the Magma Great Wyrm Morkren and his conquering armies. Without the rightful mark of the throne, as well as the lose of their original capital, there has not been a Dwarf King in over two and a half centuries. This break in the chain of kings has been the attributed cause of the slow decline of the dwarvish empire, and many fear if the axe is not recovered, their favor with their creator god will be lost and the dwarven people will cease to exist. Power While no wielder of the axe has been able to accomplish as much as First King Dveron, the axe has been always been wielded by a powerful monarch and has been a major factor in no less than six major wars, including the four great goblin-blood wars, the Giant Uprising and the Invasion of the Drow. During each, both the might of the axe and the racial morale behind the throne was able to unify the dwarf empire against their threats. The pinnacle of any dwarven crafted weapon, Moradin's Mercy is an impervious weapon of incomparable power. It is said that any that wield the axe is the indisputed ruler of Dwarvish kind, with the blessing of Moradin himself. Any command the wielder makes must be obeyed by any dwarf within earshot lest they be smote by their god. Any weapon crafted by a dwarf cannot pierce the skin of a True King, while any crafter's tool is familiar in their hands. Truly, the most well-crafted things of dwarvish history has come from the hands of a True King.